This Easy Tip Means You'll Get Your Suitcase Faster at the Airport

Waiting for your suitcase to appear on the conveyer belt after a long flight can be stressful, but there’s a simple trick that will make the whole process easier and faster.

It’s a nightmare scenario most of us have experienced. You scurry off your flight and make your way to the baggage claim only to watch bags of all shapes and sizes glide past you, except the very bag you are looking for.

The best way to avoid this is “to not check a bag in the first place,” says Julian Kheel, senior editor at popular online booking platform The Points Guy (TPG). But for those of us who don’t have the self-control to pack like a pro who travels upwards of 100,000 miles per year, Kheel has shared an easier piece of advice to follow.

It sounds simple and even a bit silly, but Kheel swears by something your mother probably told you to do as a kid. “If you do have to check a bag, identify your suitcase with a ribbon or something similar so it’s easy to spot,” he tells Culture Trip. The bolder and brighter the better so your luggage really stands out. Why? Julian explains that one of the main reasons people wait so long for their bag is because “they miss it the first time around.”

If you have airline elite status, that’s another way to see your belongings sooner rather than later. “Airline elite marks you as priority,’ he explains. “But that works at some airports and not others.”